Amusement device



2,? \llllllllllllu Hill NAIRN AMUSEMENT EVICE Filed June 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet, 1

ENTOR. pm/V am/v Bylaw M ATTORNEYS Oct. 11, 1932. 5 NA|RN 1,881,863

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed June 18, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR; (fO/fiV 45. NIYIPN.

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ATTORNEYS Patented Get. 11, 1932 ni'rsn arra rear [PM if JOHN s. NAIRN, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN...

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Applicationfiled June18, 1930. serial No; 461,887.

This invention relates to an amusement decome this disadvantage is a further object" of vice and contemplates particularlya device this invention and this has been achieved by that can be used as a'merry-go-r0und and providing each support with alockingmech- What is commonly known as an ocean wave. anism each of which must be released beg 5 The broad idea of this type of device is fore the supports can be raised and either shown in my previous United States Patent seat locked. 1,658,733 and this invention contemplates An object of, the invention is to positively several specific improvements on the device guide the lower end of the vertical pivoted therein shown and described. In the device shaft. b i l i shown in the above patent the operating gears A further object of the invention is to proso:

and shaft are placed above the beam. This Vide the beam with a suitable counter-bah arrangement has proved somewhat unsatisancing mechanism. factory in that the thin longitudinal shaft is A further object of this invention is to often grasped by a child to assist him in providea positive locking mechanism for 13 mountingthebeam resulting in thebending of locking the vertical shaft in whatever anguthe shaft which in turn displaces the gears. lar position desired to in turn operate the Further, this arrangement of the shaft and beam i p a at an a g e 15076116 O aI- gears above the beam precludes the possibility In the drawings: i of mounting additional seats on the beam in F ig. 1 is an elevation showing the amuse-v case three or four children wish to operate the m n de in iHOPQYatiVB Position- Y device rather than merely two because the Fig- Vi w 21 g h 11 of gnecessary additional space on the beam is Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail of the gear occupied by the operating gears an d'shafts. andpivoted shaft elements.

It is an object of this invention to overcome Fig. 4 is a section along the line of these disadvantages and this i has been Fig. 3. r

achieved by mounting the longitudinal shafts Fig. 5 is a vertical section along the line and operation gears beneath the beam. T 55 of Fig. 3. l I r In my previously described and patented Fig. 6 is a section along the line 6-6 of device the elliptical gears and associated pin- Fig. -5. p

- ion were found to wear after a certainamount Referring more particularly to the drawso of use, and hence, tended to come out of mesh ings, it will be seen that the device comprises which rendered the device inoperative. It a'beam 1 that is rotatively and pivotally is an object of the invention to overcome this mounted upon a suitable support '2. The disadvantage and this has been achieved by beam 1 has located at each end thereof a seat Y 35 at all times yieldably holding the elliptical portion 3, each seat portion being provided gears in mesh with the pinion. with a suitable side andback frame. work t.

In the above patent there is also disclosed As shown in Fig. 1 the beam 1 is horizontally a temporary support member for maintaining positioned and is maintained in this position the beam in a horizontal position while the by the supports 5. The supports 5are each I 49 children are getting into the seats. The dcpivotally mounted as at 6 adjacent an end of vice is so constructed that by pulling downthe beam. The pivot supports 5 are conwardly on the handle, the handle serves asla nected to each other so as to collapse simulbar to lock the child into the seat and simul taneously upwardly and under the beam by W taneously raises the collapsible supports to means of the longitudinally slidable shafts permit the beam to operate in its predeter- 7 and 8 which are slidably mounted on the 05 mined path. A. disadvantage of this arrangebottom of the beam by means of the brackets ment was that one child would draw down on 9 and 10 respectively and which are joined ie lever and lock himself in before the other by the lazy tongs 11. The shaft 7 is connected child had seated himself, consequently the to the support 5 by the link 12 and the supl beam would swing into operation. Tooverport 5a is connected to the shaft 8 by the link 0 13. Each of'the' supports 5 and 5a have fixed thereto the L-shaped levers 14 and 15 respectively. The levers 14 and 15 are arranged to be grasped by the child seated in-the seat and pulled downwardly whereupon the levers 14 and 15 engage in suitable notches in the seat frame backs4 and form a horizontal locking bar across the front of the seat to lock the child in the seat as is described in my above mentioned patent.

' To prevent a child fromgetting into one of the seats and operating either of levers 14 or 15 which causes the supports '5 and 5a to collapse under the beam before the other child is seated in the seat, I propose to provide each of the pivoted supports 5 and 5a with a locking member. This locking member takes the form of the bars 16 and 17 which are respectively pivoted as at 18 and 19 to the supports 5 and 5a. Each of the bars 16 and 17 is provided with a notch 20 and 21 respectively which are arranged to engage suitable looped brackets 22 and23 mounted each on an end of the beam 1. As shown in Fig. 1 the locking bars 16 and 17 engage the brackets 22and 23 in the notches 20 and 21' respectively which in turn locks the supports 5 and 5a againstpivotal movement. Owing to'the shaftand lazy tongs connection between the supports 5 and 5a neither of these supports can be collapsed under the seatby either child operating the levers 14 or 15 so 22 and 23 before the levers 14 and 15 can be actuated to collapse. the supports 5 and 5a and lock the children into the seats.

Since it is necessary-to have the beam rotatably mounted on the support 2, to this end the beam 1 is provided with a suitable bossed centrally positionedplate 25 which is secured to the beam 1 by any suitable means such as the screws 26. The support 2 is "provided with suitable opposed bearing sockets 27.

' ing race 37 is interposed between the bevel gear 31 and the beam 1 and surrounds the shafts and 61.

'of metal extending lengthwise across the frame 2 substantially midway between the top and bottom thereof. The support plate 40 has a suitable slot 41 running lengthwise thereof through which projects the shaft 36. Since the shaft 36 pivots backwardly and forwardly with the beam 1 the slot 41 serves as a guide therefor. The plate 40 also rotatably supports the elliptical gears 42 and 43.

The gears 42 and 43 are swiveled to the support 40 eccentrically asat 44 and 45 respectively. The shaft 36 has fixed thereto the pinion 46 which is arranged to mesh with each of the elliptical gears 42 and 43 as shown.

As the teeth of the elliptical and pinion gears wear there is a tendency for thesame to unmesh and hence the elliptical gears will not remain in proper alignment to permitop-- springs at all times yieldably hold the ellipti- .cal gearsrin mesh with the pinion 46.

" The plate 40=serves as a plate'upon which slides the angle plate slide 52 providedwith an opening 53. The slide 52 also has an opening 54 centrally thereof through which rotatively projects the lower end of the shaft 36. The plate 40 is provided with a-series of openings 51. The holes 51 and 53. permit the slide 52 to be adjusted along the plate. 40 and locked in whatever position desiredby a suitable locking key 55. Movement of the slide 52 along the plate40 and keying the ment of the gear 31 with the frame 2 in the sockets 27. 7

Since it is desirable to rotate the beam 1 upon the frame 2 by means of the intervening gear 31 and bearing race 37 suitable mechanism is provided which takes the form of the and 64 respectively and shaft 61 has fixed at each end thereof the pinion gears 65 and 66 respectively. The pinions 64 and 65 mesh with the non-rotatable bevel gear 31. The beam has suitably j ournaled therein the'upright shafts 67 and 68 each of which has a horizontally rotatable crank handle 69 at the upper end thereof and a pinion gear 70 at the bottom end thereof, the pinion gears 70 being in mesh with the gear 63 and 66. 7

Owing to the fact that the beam 1 is piv- Oted on the support frame 2 by'the trunnion These shafts are mountrotated.

28 the center of the beam is spaced upwardly from "the trunnionv 28. ,Hence, whenthe beam is in the tippedposition shown in Fig. 3 thecenter of the beam and consequently the greater portion of the weight of the beam and gear mechanism will be to the-left ofthe trunnion 28 ;"this requires the operator ofthe crank on the seat to the right of the trunnion to initially overcome this additional weight. This is an important factor because it is highly desirable to have the cranks 69 function as easily as possible. This has partially been achieved by having the cranks rotate in a horizontal rather than in a vertical plane and has been further achieved by the use of the counter-balancing springs and 71. These counter-balancing springs are secured at their outer ends as at 72 to the frame 2. The lower end of the shaft 36 is milled away to provide a projecting pin 7 3 and a shoulder 74. The inner ends of the springs 70 and 71 are secured to a suitable collar having a central opening for reception of the pin 73 on the end of the shaft 36. Hence, the collar 7 5 is held in position on the end of the shaft 36 yieldably by the springs 70 and 71.

As shown in Fig. 3 the shaft 36 is swung to the extreme limit right of its center position. When in this position the spring 71 is completely collapsed so that it exerts no pull to the right on the collar 75 and shaft 36. At the same time spring 70 has reached the maximum of its tension. As the shaft36 pivots toward the center the pull of the spring 70 gradually decreases and that of the spring 71 increases until the shaft reaches center whereupon each of the counter-balancing springs exert the same tension. As the shaft swings to the left of center the tension of the spring 70 decreases and that of the spring 71 increases until the shaft reaches the extreme position to the left of center whereupon the spring 70 is completely collapsed and the spring 71 is expanded to exertits greatest tension.

As shown in Fig. 3 when the operator seated on the right hand seat turns the crank to pivot the beam 1 he is assisted by the pull of the counter-balancing spring 70 until the beam reaches a horizontal position. Further,

this arrangement of the counter-balancing springs draws the beam 2 and maintains it in a horizontal position after the children get ofi the seats whereupon it is always in the proper position for use.

As shown in the drawings the operation of the device is as follows:

fter each of the seats is occupied by a child, each child must first release the locking bars 16 and 17 whereupon the levers i l and 15 can then be pulled downwardly simultaneously to lock each child in the seats 3. Each child turns the crank 69 adjacent his seat whereupon the shafts 60 and 61 are Since the gear 31 is stationary, the

beam 1' is caused to rotate relatively thereto. As the beam 1 rotates, it likewise turns the shaft=36 since it is keyed thereto by the key .38. The turning movement of thesha'ft36 through the pinion 46 causes the elliptical gears 42-and 43 to rotate about their respective pivots as indicated by the dotted lines Fig. 4) The rotation of the elliptical gears causes the shaft 36 to move back and -forth in the slot 4&1. This back-and-forth movement of the shaft 36 through the trunnion and socket arrangement between the stationary gear and frame causesthe beam. to oivot upwardly and downwardly. Since the beam is at the same time'rotating thisup; ward and downward pivotal motion of the beam cooperates with the rotary motion to form an" ocean wavemovement.

Vhen' it is desired to have merely a rotary motion of the beam 1, the beam and shaft are locked. in whatever position desired by means of the slide 52 and key 55. pin 38 is removed; Hence,- the beam 1 is now in rotative relation with theshaft 36.

As the cranks 69 are turned the shaft and bevelgear arrangement 61 and 31causes relative rotational movement between the beam 1 and the non-rotatable bevel gear31 at whatever angle in which the beam 1' ispositioned.

Althou-ghthe means here shown for rotating the beam 1= about its pivot consists of the non-rotative bevel gear 31 and the associated pinion shafts and handcranks, it is underi stoodthat other equivalent rotative means could be used, the main desideratum being a ,non-rotative member centrally locatedv and pivoted to the support Qand means for translatingthe rotary motion of the cranks 69. to

the central member 1 which, owing to its nonrotatability,i creates a relative rotational movement thereto in the beam '1.

In the. claims the bevel gear 31 is broadly designated as a stationary pulley 'andthe longitudinal shafts 60'and 61 and associated pinions as, motiontranslating means. The terms pulley and motion translating means are used broadly to include not only the specific means shown but also such well-known-equivalents as the belt and pulley,,chain and sprocket,

and multiple all gear arrangements. "What I'claim is: l

1. An amusement device comprising in combination of a support, a pulley and rotatable beam pivotally supported thereby, a shaft projecting through the said beam and pulley which-shaft is arranged to be optionally keyed tothe said beam and to rotatably- Thereafter the r engage thesaid'pulley, a pair of elliptical gears rotatablysupported by the said support, a pinion on the end of the saidshaft arranged to mesh with said elliptical gears, and manually operablenieans operatively connected to the pulley and supported by the said: beam whereby the manually operable means can be operated to efiect an ocean wave shaft is keyed to the beam and to effect a simple rotary movement on. the part of the downwardly projecting beam when the shaft is not keyed to the said beam.

2. An amusement device comprising in combination of a support, a beam pivotally and rotatably mounted on the said support, a shaft having one end fixed to the said beam and the other end having fixed thereto a pinion, a pair of elliptical gears eccentrically and rotatably supported by the said support and arranged to mesh-with the said pinion,

means for rotating the said'beam and shaft, and means for yieldably engaging the said elliptical gears to retain them in mesh with the said pinion. r

3. An amusement device comprising in combination of a support, a beam pivotally and rotatably mounted on the said support, a

shaft having one end fixed to the said beam and the other end having fixedthereto a pinion, a pair of eccentrically rotatable elliptical gears supported by the said supportand ar ranged to mesh with the' said pinion, and

spring means connected to the said shaft and depending shaft pivotally r, and rotatably elliptical gears whereby the elliptical gears are at all times yieldably retained in mesh with the said pinion. p

4. An amusement device comprising in combination of a support, abeam having a seat portion adjacent each end and arranged to move relative to the said support, a collapsible support adjacent each end of the said beam, means operatively connecting the said collapsible supports so that the collapsing or extending of the one simultaneously collapses or extends the other, means for collapsing the said supports, and a locking membersecured to each support whereby each locking member mustbe unlocked before'the supports can be collapsed beneath the said beam to permit operation of the beam. 7

5. An amusement device comprising in combination of a support, a beam, having a shaft pivotally mounted on the said support, a collar arranged to removably engage the lower end of the said shaft, apair of counter-balancing springs connected at one end to the collar and the other end tothe support whereby the said collar is yieldably retained in engagement with the said shaft. 7

6. An amusement device comprising in combination of a support, a beam having a depending shaft pivotally mounted on the said support, the said beam being arranged combination of a support, a beam having a lee 

